Don't You Forget About Me
by Zephyr Seraphim
Summary: Willow/Spike, Willow/William. Willow goes back in time and changes the future.
1. Part 1

She had told him. The hurt on his face broke her heart, the shock on Cordelia and Wesley's faces, the confusion on the faces of the green guy, the girl and the other guy. How could she have died on them?  
  
He felt completely numb and he collapsed onto the seat in the lobby beside Willow. "Wh--what happened, Willow?" he asked her.  
  
"She--she jumped in a portal a--and she fell...she didn't get up. Everyone was crying but she still didn't get up. She had to protect Dawn...she was Buffy's girl. Her little sister," Willow said numbly.  
  
"Who's Dawn? Who's Buffy?" the girl asked.  
  
"Sweets," the green guy said. "Let's leave them alone." He guided the girl outside of the Hyperion Hotel.  
  
"Willow, it's okay," Cordelia whispered.  
  
"No, Cordelia, it's **not** okay, she died! Buffy's dead...oh, my God...s--she's dead. She's never going to come back, is she?" the redhead whimpered. "Spike, he was crying, I felt so bad...then, Tara, she didn't do anything. She didn't cry. Everyone was crying. Not Tara though. Why didn't she cry?"  
  
"I don't know why," Wesley murmured.  
  
"I have to bring her back," the witch cried. "She wasn't supposed to die!"  
  
"You can't bring her back," Angel said softly. "But I have an idea. A spell to go back in time."  
  
"That will bring her back!" Willow exclaimed.  
  
"You have to do it precisely," Wesley stated. "Or it could be a terrible thing."  
  
"You're going to be the only one to remember," Angel told Willow.  
  
Willow nodded. "Let's do this," she murmured.  
  
"Here's the spell to get back to the current time and the spell to redo the time travel," Wesley replied, handing her a slip of paper that Willow tucked into her jeans. "In case something goes wrong."

* * *

Three hours later, Willow sat in a circle surrounded by Cordelia, Wesley and Angel. _Okay, I'm going to concentrate on stopping the portal from opening,_ she thought, closing her eyes as Angel began to chant in Latin. She focused her energy on just before she had brainsucked Glory but her mind kept wandering to the way Spike had looked as he had sobbed.  
  
Smoke enveloped Willow and then the redhead disappeared. "Do you think she'll be okay?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"All we can do is hope," Wesley replied.


	2. Part 2

Willow coughed as she suddenly appeared in a dark, damp alley. "What is it with spells and alleys?" she muttered, then paused. "Wait...alley?" She looked about, trying to get her eyes to adjust to the faint light cast by fires blazing in streetlamps. "Um...what? Tara? Xander? Buffy? Giles? Spike? Dawn? Anya? Wesley? Cordelia? A-Angel? Even Glory or Ben'd be better than this...okay, no, they wouldn't be better than this. But at least I know them."  
  
Then the sound of sobbing hit Willow's ears and she followed the sound, she saw two women and a man standing together and another man came bumped into them, he was crying and ripping up a piece of paper. "Bloody...watch where you're going," he replied before continuing on his way. Willow bit her lip, he looked...familiar.  
  
"Or you could just take the first drooling idiot that comes along," one of the women said, looking after the man. Willow stared in shock at the blonde woman.  
  
"D-Darla?" she whimpered. Then she saw the other two: Drusilla and Angelus. Her eyes followed where the man had run off, he wasn't safe with Darla, Drusilla and Angelus running around, she carefully walked after him.  
  
She finally saw him under the light of a lamp and Drusilla walked up. She couldn't quite see his face from her vantage point but still he was so familiar. "And here I wonder what possible catastrophe came crashing down from Heaven and brought this dashing stranger..." a voice murmured and Willow's eyes slammed to Drusilla as the vampiress reached out to wipe the tears from his eyes, "...to tears."  
  
"Too bad you won't find out, Drusilla," Willow said, her voice concealing her fear as she reached into her jacket to pull out a stake.  
  
"Bad li'l ruby," Drusilla pouted. "'E's mine!"  
  
"I don't think so," Willow replied, sinking the stake into Drusilla's heart. She knelt by the man, her hand brushing back his curly blonde hair, he seemed startled by her touch and jumped away. Her eyes met his and she let out a gasp, backing away. "Spike! Look, I'm **really** sorry I killed Drusilla but I thought she was going to kill you...which was silly 'cause you're dead - did that just make sense? Please, don't kill me."  
  
"Why on Earth would I possibly want to kill such a lovely creature?" he asked, mystified by the redhead. "What an awful name, Spike. I do assure you, madam, my name is William."  
  
"William?" Willow asked. "Oh, hi, I'm Willow."  
  
"Willow, such a beautiful name," he murmured.  
  
"My parents picked it out. I couldn't have because of the whole not being able to speak," Willow replied. "I'll stop rambling now. A-are you okay?"  
  
"I'm quite well," William stated. "Where did that woman go?"  
  
"She went the other way to her suitor guy," Willow answered. William stared at her curiously.  
  
"Your...attire is quite unusual," he said.  
  
"Um, yeah, it's American. Californian...long, long, **long** way away from here."  
  
He gulped slightly. "Do you, uh, have somewhere to stay?" he asked, his face turning beet red.  
  
"No, I just got here," she said. "Didn't really have time to get a room or a house."  
  
"Would you prefer to stay with Mother and I?" William asked.  
  
"Sure," Willow murmured, smiling shyly.  
  
William led her to his house in a friendly silence, once they arrived, a woman walked up to William and hugged him. "William, luv, how was the soiree?" she asked.  
  
"It was grand," William said. "Mother, this is Willow. Willow, this is Mother."  
  
"Uh, hi," Willow greeted.  
  
"Did you propose to Cecily?" the woman asked, ignoring the redhead.  
  
"I didn't quite have the chance," William murmured, blushing.  
  
Willow bit her bottom lip, she hadn't known Spike had been engaged. "M--maybe I should go?" Willow supplied.  
  
"Who are you?" William's mother asked.  
  
"I'm Willow," the redhead stated.  
  
"Yes, she saved me from a vicious attack," William replied.  
  
She smiled at Willow. "You saved my darling?" she asked and Willow nodded slightly. "I'm Elizabeth. You're clothes are quite...interesting. You can borrow some of mine, I believe that when I was around your age, I was the same size. How old are you?"  
  
"I'm twenty," the redhead said.  
  
"You have a suitor?" Elizabeth inquired.  
  
"N--not really," Willow stuttered, not sure if the eighteen-hundreds was ready for a lesbian witch. Elizabeth grinned.  
  
"Well...you're an old maid, your parents must really want you to marry?" Elizabeth replied. Willow shared a look with William and he blushed.  
  
"No," Willow answered.  
  
"My boy is quite handsome...you'd be a lovely couple. Growing old together, having children...you should get married."  
  
Willow giggled, she had never really pictured Spike as the "growing old together and having children" type. "No pressure, huh?"  
  
"Not at all." Elizabeth's eyes shone with pleasure and Willow gave her a shy grin. "I like her, William."  
  
"I thought you would, Mother," William sputtered.  
  
"Could I go to bed, I've had a really tough few days," Willow asked. Elizabeth nodded and led Willow up to her room, Elizabeth's eyes went through her armoire and grabbed a silk long-sleeved nightgown and handed it to the witch. "It's beautiful."  
  
"Your room's at the end of the hall," Elizabeth replied and shooed the redhead out of her room.  
  
Willow padded down the hall and into said room. She changed into the nightgown and blushed at the sight of herself in the mirror, the gown hugged her curves and accentuated her small but pert breasts, tiny waist and the soft curve of her hips. The moonlight from the window shone through the gown, showing her feminine silhouette. "Oh, yikes," she murmured.  
  
She walked across the room and stared out the window, wondering what had happened since she'd been gone. She shook her head of the depressing thoughts and lay down on the bed, pulling up the covers and tried vainly to sleep. _I miss Tara,_ she thought then she snaked her hand under the covers. A voice interrupted her action. "Horny lit'l thing, aren't you?" a familiar accented voice said.  
  
Blood flooded her face. "William!" she yelped.  
  
"Not William, luv, you should bloody well know that," the man said and Willow stared at the figure, skintight faded black jeans, black t-shirt, red button-up shirt and the ever-so-familiar duster.  
  
"**Spike**!" Willow squeaked. "But how?"  
  
"Not how, why?" Spike muttered. "What did you do to me?"  
  
"Do? I didn't do anything."  
  
"One minute, I'm at Buffy's with Dawn, next I'm here...what did you do to me, Red?"  
  
"N--nothing." He gave her a look. "I didn't do **anything**!"  
  
"You did **something**! What was happening when you got here?"  
  
"Uh-oh..."  
  
"What's with the 'uh-oh', pet?" Spike asked.  
  
"Drusilla and you...Drusilla...um, I dusted her," Willow whispered.  
  
"You dusted Dru?! No wonder I'm fucked up! You kept Dru from siring me!"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"No, sorry about it! I have to get sired before Darla and Angelus move on or I'm dead!"  
  
"You **are** dead."  
  
"We're talkin' dust here, Red," Spike muttered, sinking onto the bed.  
  
"Oops."  
  
"Are you decent?" William asked from the other side of the door.  
  
"Yeah," Willow replied.  
  
"Are you quite all right, Willow?" William asked. "I heard..." he trailed off as he saw Willow's nightgown-clad form. She stared at his Adam's apple as he gulped hard, "...a scream."  
  
"I'm a soddin' wanker! A poof!" Spike moaned, laying back on the bed.  
  
"No, William, I'm fine." William nodded. "Are **you** all right?"  
  
"Oh, yes, very well," he said, shifting uncomfortably and Willow's eyes trailed down to the bulge in his breeches.  
  
Spike sat up and smirked at Willow's appraisal of his human self, whom apparently couldn't see him. "They don't call me the '**big** bad' just because," he whispered in her ear.  
  
"Go away, Spike," she hissed, swatting at him.  
  
"How do you think I got the name...'Spike?'" he purred.  
  
"I'm a lesbian...I have a girlfriend," she muttered as her mind chanted _I'm not getting turned on, not getting turned on...Tara is my girlfriend!_  
  
William stared in shock as the redhead talked into thin air. "Are you certain you are all right?" he asked.  
  
"Never better, William. Thank you for checking on me," she whispered. William nodded slightly and closed the door as he left.  
  
"You jerk!" Willow turned on the vampire.  
  
"What can I say, baby, I've always been bad," he stated.  
  
"Bad!? You call **him** bad?" Willow asked.  
  
"A vampire's personality is dependent on their darkest inner desires, luv," Spike answered. "He was a bad-ass deep within."  
  
"Well, Vampy-Me was a skanky, leather-clad dominatrix," Willow shot back and Spike arched his scarred brow.  
  
"I think I'd like her," he said, a finger trailing over her jugular. "Sounds like my type. Nothing like taming the beast, nice set of chains."  
  
"Ugh, you're disgusting," she replied, shoving his hand away.  
  
"You're no fun," Spike whined.


	3. Part 3

Willow covered her ears with the pillow and groaned as the annoying voice repeated the song over and over and over and over again. "Stop it! I have rights! This is called cruel and unusual punishment!" she whined.  
  
"...The song that never ends, yes, it goes on and on, my friend. Some people started singing it not knowing what it was but they'll continue singing it forever just because this is the song that never ends, yes, it goes on and on, my friend. Some people started singing it not knowing what it was but they'll continue singing it forever just because this is the song that never ends, yes, it goes on and on, my friend. Some people started singing it not knowing what it was but they'll continue singing it forever just because--" Willow's hand covered his mouth and she glared at the amusement shining in his blue eyes.  
  
"You are a bad, bad man," Willow muttered. "You are evil."  
  
"I know," Spike answered, checking out his nails with their chipped black nail polish.  
  
"I'm still not going to help you though!" she answered then she grabbed her clothes and pulled the spell out of her jeans pocket.  
  
Before Spike knew what she was doing, they appeared in her dorm room, her now in her yummy sushi pajamas holding her clothes. "See, the world doesn't suck because you don't exist," she replied. "Go away," she said.  
  
"I can't go away," he muttered. "I've tried, I'm stuck to you until you fix me!"  
  
"Well, I can't do that!" she stated, going into the bathroom and changing into her clothes. When she exited the bathroom, the door opened and in came Cordelia and Xander, kissing. When they saw Willow, Xander instantly blushed.  
  
"Uh, hey, Willow," Xander murmured.  
  
"Hi," she said. "Cordelia? I thought you were in L.A."  
  
"Why would I be in L.A.?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"To become an actress?" Willow replied.  
  
"No...I'm going to be an image consultant," Cordelia answered, rolling her hazel eyes.  
  
"I think I'll leave you to your...whatever," Willow answered.  
  
"Willow! Be careful," Xander called. "You know who is out there."  
  
"O...kay," she whispered, grabbing a stake and tucking it into her jeacket."  
  
"What the hell is 'you know who?'" Spike demanded, following Willow.  
  
"I don't know," the redhead stated.  
  
"Willow..." a voice called. "Willow..."  
  
Willow turned around to face the source of the voice, a blonde entered her line of sight. "Buffy!" Willow chirped, racing to hug the blonde.  
  
Spike grabbed Willow and jerked him to his chest. The blonde stared as Willow was restrained by the air. "She's not human, Red," Spike answered.  
  
"Hello there, Willow," another voice replied and Angel stepped out of the shadows and stood by the VampBuffy.  
  
"Angel..." Willow whispered.  
  
"You of all people should know that I'm not Angel," he stated, smirking.  
  
"Angelus!" she squeaked. She closed her eyes and chanted a fog spell and ran until she was out of breath and darted into an alley. "Okay, Spike, you're right, the world does suck without you. Tomorrow in the past, I'll help you get vamped again. Tomorrow in the past...how weird does that sound?"  
  
"It's about bloody time," he muttered as Willow chanted the spell to go back in time and arrived in William's house.


	4. Part 4

After her promise, Spike didn't sing "The Song That Never Ends" again, he just watched her sleep. She was the only one he could relate to, his vampire side could relate to what he had heard about her vampire side and his human side was just like her. That's why he had been so cruel to her because she reminded him of "William the Bloody Awful Poet" but now he realized that she had a certain...something. _I am an idiot, I'm falling for a lesbian...this is starting to sound like a **really** bad episode of Jerry Springer: 'Lesbians and the Male Vampires That Love Them!'_ he thought. _I...love her._ He brushed a kiss across her brow and left the room, deep in his thoughts.  
  
He didn't love Buffy, he never had. The way he figured it when he and Harm had gone to that doctor to get the chip removed the doctor messed up his head and since he hadn't been killed or killed Buffy, he developed an unhealthy...attraction. "Way to go with the Freudian," he muttered as he entered his old room, his human self was fast asleep. He examined himself critically, a smirk on his face. "No wonder the ladies love me." A hand touched the scar on his brow and the other touched the same brow on the human version of himself. Spike disappeared.  
  
William shot up awake. "What the bloody hell!" he exclaimed. He stood up and walked to the mirror, staring at his reflection. "I am such a handsome devil." He pulled on a shirt and a pair of breeches and went back to Willow's room, he shook her slightly and she moaned as she woke up.  
  
"William, what's wrong?" she asked.  
  
"Nothin', Red," he stated and Willow's eyes widened.  
  
"Spike?" she whispered. "You look, uh, different." Her eyes wandered over his familiar features and she sat up, touching the unscarred eyebrow. "How'd you get that scar?"  
  
"Slayer number one, China, Boxer Rebellion," he replied.  
  
"Oh..." she whispered, her fingers drifted down his face, tracing his cheekbones and finally tracing his lips. Her lips replaced her fingers and he moved into the kiss, pulling her closer.  
  
Her entire body sang from the caress of his lips on hers and suddenly Spike was on the bed with her, his body blanketing hers. She knew she should feel offended, she was in a great relationship with Tara and he was in love with Buffy but her body didn't care and the passion was definitely clouding her brain. After all, if they did...she knew that this would be her only chance to feel him warm and hear his heart beat, she wanted him, Tara or not. She had wanted him when he had first gotten his chip in his head, the way he had felt on top of her...  
  
Spike, in his vampiric body could kiss for hours, maybe even days but in his human body, oxygen was becoming an issue and William's body was not used to being without oxygen for a long while. He finally pulled away and both of them panted. _I cannot believe I am going to do this,_ she thought. Her hands drifted over his chest and she unbuttoned the shirt he wore, she smoothed the fabric off his shoulders and ran her hands over his muscular chest.  
  
Spike stopped. "Spike, is there something wrong?" she asked.  
  
"I shouldn't be doing this to you, Red...takin' advantage of you like this," he whispered. "I know you care for the witch...I'm sorry." With that, he left and Willow let the shame wash over her, she'd only been away from Tara for a few days and she was already cheating on her partner. _I should be shot,_ the redhead thought, frowning.


	5. Part 5

The next morning, Elizabeth didn't seem to notice the tension between her son and their guest as they sat at the table. "Willow, dear, did you sleep well?" the woman inquired and Willow blushed scarlet.  
  
"Um, yeah," she mumbled, stealing a meaningful look at Spike in William's body.  
  
The elder woman arched a graceful brow in a look reminescent of Spike. "William, luv, are you going to show our guest around?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, Mum," Spike answered. Elizabeth seemed put off by her son calling her "Mum" but simply shook her head.  
  
"I'll be at Mrs. Gregory Worthington's garden party today, so you'll have the entire day to yourselves," Elizabeth answered, smiling mischieviously at her son and hopeful daughter-in-law. "I must be off, wouldn't want to be late."  
  
"You wouldn't," Spike replied. "Willow, might I escort you?"  
  
Willow gave him an evil glare but stood up anyway, the skirts swishing about her legs. _God, how could women wear these things?_ she wondered. She had worn an emerald-green dress that brought out her eyes, the paleness of her skin and the red hair with an emerald-green lace choker. Not only had she worn the dress but all the silk petticoats and the hoop skirt but the redhead had absolutely refused to wear the corset or the proffered underthings, much preferring her own. Spike crooked his arm and she reluctantly wrapped her arm around his, he led her outside and Willow gasped at the cobblestone street William and Elizabeth lived on. Trees lined both sides of the street and horses, carriages and people walking filled the streets. "Wait," she whispered, ducking back into the house, quickly she cast a glamour on herself that made her short hair fall halfway down her back in romantic curls. "That's better."  
  
Spike grinned at her. "Looks good on you, Red," he whispered and she blushed before she remembered that she was mad at him. Spike took her arm in his and led her around town before a few people about William's age walked up to them.  
  
"If it isn't William the Bloody Awful Poet," a man taunted and the woman hanging onto his arm smirked at him.  
  
"Cecily," Spike muttered.  
  
"And who's this enchanting woman?" another man stated.  
  
"Willow," the witch answered, glaring at them. She felt sorry for Spike at that moment, what he had to put up with.  
  
"Well, sweet Willow, has William read you any of his poetry?" the man taunted.  
  
"Oh, yes, one he wrote for me," Willow replied and Spike arched an eyebrow. "Want me to tell you, it's quite beautiful."  
  
Cecily snickered and Willow scowled at the woman. "William and beautiful poetry?" Cecily replied.  
  
Willow looked at Spike and grinned. "I've been searching for you, I've heard a cry within my soul, I never had a yearning quite like this before. There you are, walking right through my door..." Willow spoke the lines to a song and Spike grinned.  
  
"All of my life, where have you been? I wonder if I'll ever see you again and if that day comes, I know we could win, I wonder if I'll ever see you again," Spike continued.  
  
"A sacred gift of Heaven, for better, worse, wherever and I would never let somebody break you down into the ground, never," Willow finished and Cecily's jaw dropped.  
  
"William, that **is** beautiful!" Cecily chirped, leaving her suitor's arm.  
  
"Back off, wench, he's mine," Willow stated, looking at Spike.  
  
"Of course it's beautiful," the man scowled. "Anything is better than 'My heart expands, 'tis grown a bulge in it, inspired by your beauty effulgent."  
  
Willow bit back her giggles as Spike led her off. Once they were away from the mean rich people, Willow laughed outright. "Why didn't you just do that 'Love's Bitch' thing?" she asked.  
  
Spike shrugged. "You know about that 'Love's Bitch' thing?" Spike asked.  
  
"Buffy told me about it," she answered, frowning at the memory of her dead best friend and Spike joined in her moping. "Maybe if we get you turned, you can save her?"  
  
Spike nodded. "I will, I'll protect her and Dawn at any cost," he answered. Satisfied at his response, Willow nodded. "Let's go to One-Eyed Jack's Tavern, that's where Darla and Angelus were staying. Trying once for a low profile."  
  
"I'm afraid to ask what that means..." Willow replied.  
  
"He was attacked by a pirate and lost an eye," Spike explained and Willow sighed with relief that was until Spike led her to One-Eyed Jack's Tavern.  
  
The place reaked of body odor and stale alcohol and Willow nearly choked at the stench. "You owe me big," she growled at him.  
  
"Yeah, whatever," Spike stated, sitting at a table. A buxom brunette that resembled Cordelia, made her way to their table and gave Spike a sexy grin.  
  
"What can I get ye?" she asked.  
  
"Whiskey...Red, you want anything?" Spike asked and the woman frowned as she realized Spike had company.  
  
"I don't drink," Willow said, wrinkling her nose.  
  
Spike shrugged. "Have it your way. So, princess, have you seen a brunette bloke with an overhanging brow and a blonde woman here together go by the names of Angelus and Darla?"  
  
"There's a Liam and Darla Angelus 'ere, 'is sister Drusilla disappeared a few days ago, they've been searchin' all over for 'er," the woman stated. Blood flooded Willow's face and Spike scowled at her.  
  
"Exactly," Spike answered, smiling. "Thank you."

* * *

At dusk, Darla and Angelus made their way into the bar and Willow had no doubts in her mind as to what they'd been up to. Spike smiled at Willow and brushed a kiss over her lips before she could protest. He made his way to the two vampires and Angelus seemed interesting in him. For about two hours, Willow watched Spike with Angelus and Darla until Angelus motioned that they move into the alley. The witch carefully followed them and felt her heart sink as she watched Angelus bite Spike on his neck.  
  
The vampire drank until Spike was on the edge of unconsciousness, with a smooth motion he unbuttoned his shirt revealing his chest and Darla ran a nail over Angelus's chest causing the blood to flow over his heart. Angelus pulled the man to his chest and Spike drank greedily. Willow gasped, the two men together, one dark, one light, was the most erotic sight she'd ever beheld in her twenty years. She shook her head and whispered the spell to go back to her time.


	6. Part 6

Willow groaned as her alarm clock awoke her from the strange dream, she'd dreamt that Buffy had died and she'd gone to when Spike was still human and screwed up the future. _Why do I always have the weird dreams? Gotta look at Tara's Freudian dreams book,_ she decided. Green eyes looked around the room and she nearly fell off the bed. "Tara?" Willow whispered. "Miss Kitty Fantastico?" She was in her old room in her old house, she didn't even have the fish that she'd gotten for Channukah 1997...that had ended up getting killed by Angelus. "What the hell is going on here?"  
  
Willow stood up and walked to her mirror and gasped, her hair was longer and less red. She guessed that she was either in her sophomore year or junior year of high school before looking at a kitten calendar. It was a Wednesday morning in September 1997. _What happened on a Wednesday in September 1997?_ she wondered.  
  
Then she read Thursday's events: parent-teacher conference...Saturday was the Feast of Saint Vigeous. "Oh...boy..." Willow murmured. "Here comes Spike." She frowned as she remembered Angel's words. She would be the only one to remember. Spike wouldn't remember that kiss or her taking off his shirt? Maybe that was of the good? _Willow, cool the hormones. You're still a lesbian,_ she thought. The redhead wondered what Tara was doing right now. Was she playing with Miss Kitty Fantastico, was she looking after Dawn? Willow frowned again. Dawn didn't exist here while Buffy, Joyce, Ms. Calendar, they were all alive. Xander and Buffy were still virgins, she guessed in body, she was still a virgin. _The irony, sweet Willow was the only one that could remember having sex with not one, but **two** people...a guy **and** a girl,_ she mused. _And almost having sex with an evil soulless vampire...well, he was in human form, but none-the-less._  
  
She frowned. _I guess I'm making up for the not-so-hormonal teenage days now,_ she thought.  
  
"Willow, honey! You'll be late for school, your father and I are going to London on the 12:45 flight from LAX, okay?" Sheila Rosenberg called.  
  
"LAX is in Los Angeles...that's where I was last when I was got into the Time Warp," she whimpered. Willow smiled at her statement, the first time she had seen _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_ was when she was stuck vampsitting Spike last year - or was it two years in the future? _**Argh!** Brain pain,_ the witch whined mentally.  
  
"Willow?" Sheila repeated.  
  
"I'm fine, gonna get dressed and go to school," Willow told her mother and looked through her closet for something twenty-year-old Willow Rosenberg. "Mom!" she called.  
  
"Yes, Willow?" Sheila stated, ducking her head into the room.  
  
"Can you leave some of your credit cards?" the redhead asked hopefully. Sheila seemed momentarily startled but nodded.  
  
"On the kitchen table, sweetie," she replied, going back downstairs. Willow went back to the task at hand before finding a pair of corduroys and a maroon top with a rainbow-colored flower on it. It wasn't exactly 2001 Willow but it'd do. She grabbed her bookbag and raced downstairs, in no time she was at school and she shuddered, it was just like she had remembered it, the Hellmouth right under the library. Later that year, she'd get attacked by Drusilla and Spike's cronies and go into a coma. She missed the future Spike, her Spike....**her** Spike? Since when was Spike **her** Spike? _Too much time travel,_ she decided.  
  
"Whoa, Willow, check you out," Buffy's cheerful voice interrupted Willow's thoughts.  
  
"Buffy!" Willow cried, hugging her now-alive best friend.  
  
"Willow, are you all right 'cause you're acting...strange," Buffy said, hugging her friend back.  
  
"How's your mom?" Willow asked.  
  
"She's great," Buffy replied.  
  
"Good, good, that's good," Willow rambled.  
  
"Did you get into the coffee? You know, caffeine is bad," Buffy stated.  
  
"Yeah...espresso," Willow lied easily.  
  
"So we Bronzing it tonight? Angel might be there," Buffy chirped.  
  
Willow's eyes widened. "He won't," Willow answered.  
  
"So now you're psychic, Will?" Buffy teased.  
  
"You could say that," Willow replied. "What about your French?"  
  
"We could do it at the Bronze...**pleeease**, Will?" Buffy begged.  
  
"Oh, all right..." Willow relented and the two of them headed into the building and ran into Xander.  
  
"Hey, Will, Buff," Xander greeted the two girls. "Anything of the evil lately?"  
  
_Well, I mind-spoke to a neutered vampire named Spike and helped Buffy defeat a Hellgod then I time-travelled into the 1870s and staked a loony vampiress that talked to the stars and had a friend of mine turned into a vampire - you know, the one I mind-spoke to? Other than that, things are good. What about you?_ Willow wondered what would happen if she told her friends of her latest adventures. _Probably get a one-way ticket to the padded room._  
  
"Things are pretty quiet lately," Buffy replied and then Principal Snyder zeroed-in on the Slayer.  
  
"Miss Summers, I need to see you in my office. Now," the troll answered.  
  
Buffy's face fell and she followed the principal to his office. "I really hate that guy," Xander murmured.  
  
"He gets eaten by a snake," Willow replied without thinking and Xander looked at her like she was insane.  
  
"What did you say?" he asked.  
  
"Um, I--I said, 'He is really a snake' - of a guy...not an actual snake b--but a mean guy," Willow covered.  
  
"Okay..." Xander answered slowly.  
  
"We--we should go to the library and do Scooby Gang stuff," Willow answered.  
  
"Yeah," Xander replied as the two went to the school library. Willow grinned as they entered, her eyes running over the familiar surroundings.  
  
It was hard to accept that the library wasn't destroyed but Willow was glad to be there, it was where she had spent the happier days of her youth. Not that she was old but she had grown up so much since, well...just since the last time she had been in the library when Spike found out he could kill demons. She let a little giggle out as she recounted his pep talk.  
  
_"I say we go out there and kick a little demon ass. What, can't go without your Buffy? Is that it? Too chicken? Let's find her. She is the Chosen One after all. Come on, vampires, rrr, nasty! Let's annihilate them for justice and...for the safety of puppies and Christmas, right? Let's fight that evil! Let's kill something! Oh, come on!"_ "What?" Xander asked, pulling Willow out of her reverie.  
  
"Oh...um...just thinking..." Willow replied, Xander arched a brow before taking a seat at the table. Willow bit back a frown before taking a seat as well. 

* * *

The day continued just as Willow remembered it four years previous and she went to the Bronze with Buffy and Xander just as she had before. She sat at the table, half-listening to Buffy's mockery of the French language and half-listening for the British accented voice to cry out "Where's the phone? I need to call 911, there's someone biting people out there." And as Buffy said something about a cow the voice rang out and Buffy raced outside to fight. Willow's eyes flew to the source and he smirked at her and she answered back with a glare, her eyes turning black.  
  
Spike frowned as Buffy raced outside to dispatch of one of the Annoying One's lackeys and he followed her. Willow, in turn, followed the bleached-blonde. "Spike," Willow hissed.  
  
"Red," he answered. "'Bout time we met up again."  
  
"Just like old days...well, sort of. I **will** stake you...or maybe I'll find the Initiative and have them chip you," she threatened.  
  
Spike knew she could do as she said but he didn't really care. Their kiss a long time ago replayed in his mind and before Willow knew what was happening, she was pressed against the alley wall, stuck between the concrete exterior of the Bronze and Spike's body. Hands shot out on either side of her, blocking a possible escape route unless she...her thoughts were cut of as a pair of cool and demanding lips were pressed to hers.   
  
The kiss took the witch's breath away and she unwittingly moved closer to him. "**Spike!**" the lackey cried and Spike pulled away from the kiss.  
  
"Go, Willow," he whispered, letting her go and she raced off. Spike left the shadows and watched Buffy stake the lackey.  
  
"Bravo, Buffster," he replied. "I was hopin' you'd get rid of him."  
  
"Who are you?" she hissed.  
  
"Name's Spike," he answered.  
  
"What kind of name is 'Spike?'" Buffy growled.  
  
"What kind of name is 'Buffy?'" Spike countered.  
  
"What are you doing in my town?" the blonde stated.  
  
"Can't a bloke come to town without gettin' the Slayer's knickers in a bunch?" Spike stated.  
  
"I'm one minute from kicking your ass," Buffy said.  
  
"Been there, done that," he muttered. "I'm here to help out. You know, kick a little demon ass. What say, Slayer? Can you make a deal with a handsome devil?"  
  
"Are you insane? Slayers don't work with vampires!" Buffy shouted.  
  
"Really? Well, I heard you're quite cozy with my sire," Spike replied.  
  
"Your what?"  
  
"Si-re. The vamp who made me. Big guy, broody, major case of caveman brow, has a lot of nancyboy hair gel? Goes by the name of 'Angel.'"  
  
"Angel?" Buffy whispered.  
  
"That's his name. If you can make a deal with peaches, why not his prodigal childe?" Spike told her.  
  
"I...okay, but the second you step out of line, I'll--"  
  
"Stake me right good and proper," Spike replied, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before."  
  
"Um...now that's cleared, we should go to the library," Buffy said.  
  
"Right, ladies first, " Spike said.  
  
"Uh-uh, you first," Buffy replied.  
  
"And let you poke a stick into my heart? Not a chance," Spike answered.  
  
"You really think I'll let you bite me?" she replied.  
  
"Won't be the last time you get bit," Spike muttered.  
  
"What?" Buffy demanded, glaring at Spike.  
  
"Right then," Spike said. "We'll walk **by** each other."  
  
"'Kay," Buffy stated and they headed to Sunnydale High School's library.


	7. Part 7

Willow's lips tingled from the after-effects of the vampire's on her own. She shook her head to clear her mind before making her way to the library. Halfway there, she began to hear footsteps. _Oh, great!_ she thought, turning to face her follower. "Angel! Would you not do the stalker-bit!" she cried.  
  
"Sorry, just wanted to look out for you," he answered.  
  
"That's all right, could you not do the whole hiding in shadows bit? I'm kinda on edge," she replied. "I'm going to the library, and you?"  
  
"Library," he stated, giving her a slight smile.  
  
"Okay, we'll go **together** then," Willow said.  
  
"Okay," came Angel's reply.

* * *

Giles stared warily at the bleached-blond, "Um, Buffy, you enlisted the help of a vampire?" he asked. "W--what was your name again?"  
  
"Spike," the vampire stated, smirking. Satan, it was so good to be feared, the last time that had happened was when the Watchers had come to test Buffy, that one Watcher that had written the paper on him seemed to have a bit of a crush on him. Now the fear in Giles's eyes made his ego inflate to near-dangerous proportions. _Teach you to run out of Wheetabix,_ he thought.  
  
"Rather unorthodox name," Giles stated. "Wait...Spike? W--William the Bloody?"  
  
"Don't call me that," Spike growled. Last time anyone had called them that, Red had come to his rescue with Lenny Kravitz's "Again." He couldn't remember what had happened in his Dru-less life - but in his original life, he had killed Cecily and all her little friends...tortured them bloody good.  
  
"Right," Giles paled. "Buffy, might we speak?"  
  
"Sure," the petite blonde replied and Giles pulled her aside.  
  
"Spike has killed two Slayers already," the Watcher replied.  
  
"For some **weird** reason, I trust him and I can always stake him if I don't," Buffy answered.  
  
"Right..." Spike drawled as his vampire hearing caught their conversation.  
  
Then in walked Cordelia and Xander, arguing. "Well, hello there!" Cordelia purred as she saw Spike. "I'm Cordelia."  
  
"I'm Spike," Spike replied.  
  
"Spike..." Cordelia murmured, sitting in an empty seat by Spike.  
  
Xander rolled his eyes and then Angel and Willow entered the library. Willow stared at Spike and he smirked at her. "Spike?" Angel asked. "What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm here to help," Spike answered.  
  
"With, uh, what?" Xander squeaked.  
  
"Vampires, demons, the forces of darkness, yadda, yadda, yadda," he murmured.  
  
"Okay..." Xander drawled, puffing out his chest as he noticed the competition for Buffy. He turned to Angel. "How do you know Captain Peroxide?"  
  
"He's Spike," Angel growled, "he's a vampire and he's not to be trusted."  
  
"Well, aren't we the pot calling the kettle black?" Xander stated.  
  
"Wait, you're a vampire?" Cordelia demanded, looking at Angel. "And you're a vampire?" She turned to Spike. "I just can't win!" The brunette frowned. "Vampires that help humans. You are so...strange."  
  
"Why, thank you, Cordelia, that makes me feel all warm and tingly inside," Spike answered.  
  
Cordelia smiled flirtily at Spike. "Vampire or not, I love it when you say my name, it's just so...British," she sighed. "And Bond-like."  
  
Willow smiled. It was kind of odd but comforting to see Cordelia like this. Especially after the last time she'd seen her. A pang of sadness hit her and her smile faded. "Willow, you okay?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I've had a bad few days," Willow admitted softly.  
  
"You think **you've** had a bad few days," Spike muttered so Willow could only hear him.  
  
_Okay, so I killed your sire, I said I was sorry!_ Willow growled.  
  
Spike shrugged. "Sorry doesn't make it better, luv, that's a wound that'll never heal," Spike smirked and the redhead glared at him.  
  
_Why are you really here?_ Willow asked.  
  
"I want to help," Spike stated.  
  
_So you couldn't get enough of the Scooby Gang?_ Willow stated.  
  
"One in particular," Spike answered.  
  
Willow managed to fight the urge to blush. _Spike! I have a girlfriend!_ she hissed.  
  
"Right...you can't tell me you weren't--" Spike started.  
  
_Don't you **dare** mention those kisses,_ Willow growled.  
  
"My lips are sealed," Spike smirked.  
  
_Why don't I believe you?_ she shot back.  
  
"Aw, c'mon...you don't trust me?" Spike smirked.  
  
_I trust you as far as I can throw you,_ Willow stated.  
  
"Which was pretty far with that evil mojo brewin'," Spike snorted.  
  
_Which I did because of **my girlfriend**,_ Willow stated.  
  
"But even **you** have to admit it was fun, though," he replied.  
  
_I **refuse** to answer that,_ Willow stated.  
  
"What the hell?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Nothin'," Spike answered and Willow rolled her eyes at him, sitting in a seat near him but not too close.  
  
"So..." Buffy started. She looked at Spike appraisingly. "What's the sitch? Why do you want to help us? And why shouldn't I stake you?"  
  
Spike rolled his eyes. "Because I killed the Annoying One," Spike stated, leaning back in his chair. "But his disciples might throw a big party Saturday...it's the Feast of St. Vigeous."  
  
"Right, the Feast of St. Vigeous," Giles murmured, going to his books.  
  
"And now that I've done the whole cryptic bit, I'm going. See you around, Slayer," Spike said and with a click of his tongue, he left and Willow followed him.  
  
"Does anyone think it's a bad thing that Willow, **our** Willow just followed a **vampire** outside?" Xander demanded.


	8. Part 8

Spike stood outside Sunnydale High, leaning against the brick wall, a lit cigarette dangling from his lips. He inhaled the smoke deep into his long-dead lungs and exhaled a stream of blue-gray smoke. Willow walked to Spike's side, hands in the pockets of her corduroys. She scuffed the bottoms of her shoes nervously as she stopped beside Spike. "So…um…you're going to your crypt? Or…um…the factory?" she asked.  
  
"Don't know yet, Red," Spike said.  
  
Willow bit her bottom lip nervously. "Um, Spike, I have a question…" Willow started.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"How do you remember?" she blushed, "I mean, remember the spell? Angel told me that no one would remember."  
  
"Well, maybe it's because you fucked up my life so much," the vampire said, exhaling some smoke.  
  
"I said I was sorry," Willow sighed. "Do you remember your new…unlife?"  
  
Spike shook his head in the negative, flicking some ash from the cigarette. "Not a bloody thing after Angelus sired me," Spike stated.  
  
"Oh…" Willow stated, the redhead was silent for a few moments. "Where are you off to?"  
  
"I was thinking of grabbing a bite to eat," Spike stated.  
  
"Oh…ewww," Willow said. "You'd better not."  
  
"Guess so," Spike rolled his eyes. He paused. "You're not afraid of me?"  
  
Willow arched a brow. "Do you want me to answer that?" she stated.  
  
"I don't have a chip, Red, I could drain you dry right here, leave your body for the Slayer," Spike stated and Willow shrugged.  
  
"No. You won't…" she stated. "You've changed a lot in the past year and I'm not just talking about your Buffy-lust," she stated and Spike grimaced. "I would have believed you'd kill me when you came in my dorm room that night…but with the chip, you've begun to enjoy being a white hat."  
  
Spike glared at her, even though he knew she was right. She smiled at him. "So where are you going to stay?"  
  
"I don't fancy staying in a crypt," he said. "Factory's too big for one vampire, can't afford the mansion."  
  
Willow knew she was going to regret what she was about to say even before she said it. But still, she said it, "Would you like to, uh, stay with me?" she asked. "Mom and Dad are in London, the basement's been turned into a living room area, even if they were here, they hardly go down there."  
  
"Why, Red, are you asking me to move in with you?" Spike asked, eyes wide. "On the first date, no less, I'm shocked…"  
  
Willow smacked him on the arm. "Shut up, Spike," she hissed.  
  
"Ow, luv," he smirked. "You wound me." He put a hand over his heart with mock-pain.  
  
"Forget I said a thing," Willow rolled her eyes.  
  
"Sure, I'll stay," Spike smirked.  
  
"Keep your hands feet and other objects to yourself. I'm still with Tara," she stated.  
  
"In the future - well, **a future** - a future which most likely can't happen now," Spike stated.  
  
"What do you mean, 'most likely can't happen now?'" Willow demanded.  
  
"Think about it, luv," Spike said, flicking the ash off his cigarette. "This is 1997, almost 1998 - the year in which Buffy shags Brood-boy. You're telling me you'll do nothing to stop it? That you'll let your teacher die, let your friends go through all that pain - **again** - when you know you can stop it? And if you stop it then Angel won't go to Hell and get his brood on then leave Sunnydale for L.A. Then all those innocents he's saved will die."  
  
Willow frowned, she hadn't thought of that but Spike continued on. "Everything will be different now that's what happens when you time travel. It's a big puzzle, you change one piece and the whole picture changes. And, Red, you've most definitely changed a few pieces 'round," Spike said, tossing his cigarette butt to the ground and walking off. The redhead stared at the ground before chasing after Spike.  
  
"Well, we have to un-change them then," Willow stated.  
  
"If you don't change them, Buffy **will** die. How 'bout those moral dilemmas, pet?" he stated.  
  
"There has to be **some** way," Willow said there was a long pause as Willow thought it over. "I **can** change it. I have the spell…" she reached into her pocket and grimaced when she realized she'd changed her clothes. "It's at home." She raced toward her house, Spike following.  
  
Once home, Willow paused to invite him in to find that he already had an invite. "How is that possible?" Willow demanded. "This is the past."  
  
"Beats me, you're the witchy," Spike stated as he entered the house and followed her to her room.  
  
"I didn't say you could come in here," she scowled and Spike shrugged.  
  
"'Snot like I haven't been in your bed before, luv," Spike stated, looking her over and Willow glared at him.  
  
"That was **a long** time ago," Willow stated.  
  
"Not to me, just a few days…" Spike answered and Willow attacked her clothes, searching for the spell but she couldn't find it.  
  
Meanwhile, Spike looked through her closet. "Fluffy, fluffy, pink…" he rattled off, "fluffy **and** pink, fluffy, fluffy, pink. Ooh, Red, I didn't know you had it in you." Spike pulled out a little black dress with an emerald green lace overlay with a smile.  
  
Willow searched under her bed for the spell only managing to find the X-rated romance novels she'd hidden there. The redhead turned to face Spike and blushed as she realized what he held. "Put that back!" she hissed.  
  
"Now why didn't you wear this?" he asked.  
  
"I forgot I had it. Buffy bought it for my birthday," Willow said. "Now put it back." She slumped onto the bed with a grimace and Spike put the dress back in her closet. "I can't find the spell." Spike sat beside her and nodded. "Guess we're stuck here," Spike answered.  
  
"Unless I can find it again in one of Giles's books. I hope it wasn't in one of Wesley's or I'll have to wait an entire year to fix this. Or he might not even have them yet. Damn."  
  
Spike plopped down on Willow's bed. "It's all right, make the best of what you've got," Spike said.  
  
"That's easy for **you** to say," Willow sighed. Spike moved onto his side to face her, resting his head on a hand.  
  
"Why do you say that, pet?" he asked.  
  
Willow shrugged. "I mean, you spend the next few years getting your ass kicked and falling in love with Buffy. I grow out of my nerd phase. I fall in love: twice. I become a powerful witch. My future's good and I love it," Willow said.  
  
"If you say so," Spike answered.  
  
"Goddess, Spike, you're a pain," Willow sighed.


	9. Part 9

Willow yawned and stretched out. "God, I had the worst dream, I dreamt that I was stuck in the past with Spike. Can you believe that, honey?" Willow murmured, half-asleep.  
  
"Actually I can, darling," Spike drawled.  
  
"You're not Tara," Willow said in an accusing voice.  
  
"Fabulous job of detective work, Red," Spike drawled.  
  
"What're you doing in **my** bed?" she demanded.  
  
"Sleeping…or I was," Spike answered. "Has your girlfriend told you that you snore bloody loud?"  
  
"I **do not**!" Willow scowled.  
  
"Either the chit's deaf, she snores as badly as you do or she's too nice to say something about it," Spike stated. "My money's on the third: she's as spineless a woman as I've ever met."  
  
"Tara's not spineless," Willow defended her partner. Spike snorted. "I'll set you on fire if you keep that up."  
  
Spike arched his scarred brow. "Do we **really** want to go through my non-existence fiasco again, luv?" Spike asked.  
  
"I hate you," Willow muttered.  
  
"I know you do but as long as I unlive things look downright peachy, Red," Spike stated. He gave her a cheeky grin as he slipped out of her bed. He stretched and Willow glared stakes at him. "Narf, Brain, what're we gonna do tonight?"  
  
"You watch _Pinky and the Brain_?" Willow asked.  
  
"Gotta have something to watch when _Passions_ is a rerun," Spike stated with a shrug.  
  
Willow shook her head and let out a long-suffering sigh. "And as per what **I'm** going to do tonight. I'm going to try to find that spell before we change too much," she whispered, frowning as she realized just how much things had changed.  
  
"Why not just go with it…see where it takes us, hmm?" Spike murmured.  
  
"Spike, do you **really, really** want to die? Because you're making me **really, really** want to kill you," Willow scowled. She cut him off before he could continue. "Fate of the world because of your non-existence be damned. Now get out of my bed!" Taking him by surprise, she shoved him out of the bed and he landed on the floor with a loud thunk and a muffled curse. She stood up, shoving her brush through her brownish-red hair. She wasn't sure how much of this she could take. Spike was already driving her insane and she'd spent more time with him in the past few days…years…whatever than she had since she'd met him…in the future.  
  
God, this was definitely giving her a migraine. _And it's all my fault. I couldn't think about Buffy's death, I had to think of poor, mope-y Spike and I get screwed! Everything's gone and I need it back,_ she thought, slumping to the bed. She frowned, Spike was being quiet…too quiet.  
  
She leaned over the edge of the bed and found Spike half-under the bed. Her face turned bright red as she realized what he had. He was thumbing through one of the naughty books under her bed. "Spike, give me that," she said, warning in her tone.  
  
"No, it's **far** too interesting," he stated, standing up, the well-read book in his hands. "Ooh, page 367…my, my, Willow…didn't know you had it in you." He cleared his throat and Willow winced, jumping to try to take the book from his hands. "'Carefully, he unlaced her bodice and stripped away her undergarments. Her alabaster skin shone under the moonlight and her breasts heaved, lips parted as she panted. She was on fire, only Grey could do this to her. How she hated him so often but when they were like this, everything was forgotten as his sun-darkened skin was revealed to her violet eyes. She moaned softly as he came into view—'" Willow took the book from his hands, her face very nearly the color of her hair. "Blimey, Red, it was just getting interesting! All heaving bosom and moist petals of womanhood!"  
  
The redhead glared at him and made a note to herself to burn all the books hidden under her bed. "I hate you," she sighed, walking across the room to her desk, shoving the book into a drawer and slamming it shut.  
  
Spike smiled mirthlessly. "No. You don't," he stated. "I remember what happened between us that night." He closed the distance between them and Willow darted toward the door. "Your smell, your taste, the way you felt in my arms…you didn't stop it, I did."  
  
He pushed her none-too-gently against the door and placed his hands on either side of her head. Willow shivered at his words and his closeness. "I missed Tara, I was…acting out," Willow insisted.  
  
"Pet, you don't act out toward a male when you're in love with a female," Spike stated. Willow didn't get a chance to say any more as Spike's lips descended on hers. The kiss was brutal, demanding, his tongue forced its way past her lips and tangled with hers. Flames of red hot desire thrilled down every nerve of Willow's body. The kiss finally ended, leaving Willow breathless and her lips bruised.  
  
"What are we doing? What are you doing to me?" Willow asked tearfully, shoving Spike back and exiting her room.  
  
Spike couldn't say or do anything; he simply watched the redhead retreat from her bedroom. His demon came forth, his eyes burned golden as the door slammed shut. He closed his eyes. He could still feel her heat scalding him. He could still taste her: she tasted so delicious like an exotic delicacy…a forbidden fruit. Her scent clung to him, her arousal and the scent of lavender: sensual innocence. The scents and tastes and warmth drove him wild with need. He wanted her, now more than ever, and Spike **always** got what he wanted.


End file.
